When you were out on your ride, you never expected to be hit by a car. Your motorcycle is pretty loud, and it’s brightly colored. You leave your lights on, and your gear is reflective. You do everything you can to stand out, so you can avoid collisions.
Unfortunately, your efforts were in vain. A driver who had been drinking too much pulled out in front of you. You were thrown from your motorcycle and ended up scraping against the road for a significant distance. Your gear protected you initially, but you have some road rash, fractures and a significant head injury.
Over 80% of motorcycle crashes result in injuries or deaths
You are not alone as a motorcyclist who has suffered serious injuries. In fact, over 80% of these crashes do result in deaths or injuries. Your motorcycle doesn’t offer protection against an impact in any way, so it’s not surprising that your body takes the majority of the force of the collision.
In 2017, 5,172 motorcyclists were killed in collisions. 1,704 of those individuals were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes. That means that around a third of motorcycle crashes involve alcohol in some form, whether it’s the motorcyclist or a driver who struck them who was intoxicated at the time of the crash.
What do you need to do following a motorcycle crash?
Following a crash like yours, the most important step to take is to get medical care. You should not be moved, except for by the emergency medical team. If you are in immeditate danger where you’ve landed or have the ability to move to the side of the road, it may be a good idea to do so to protect yourself.
If you can, try to remember the driver’s vehicle description and what they looked like. Most drivers will stay at the scene, but if the one who hits you flees, then the police will need that information to capture them. Any witnesses who are at the scene should remain there until they can speak with the authorities.
After you have been seen by your medical provider, you can start looking into your options to make a claim against the driver who struck you. When you know that they were intoxicated, that can be a great help with your claim. It’s something you may want to talk about with your attorney as you start to put together your claim or lawsuit.